Some women make headlines. Others make change quietly: in a workplace, a neighbourhood, a family, an organization or a community.
They may not ask for recognition. They may not even see themselves as exceptional.
But someone notices.
That is what makes the Woman of Impact Award so meaningful.
The Woman of Impact Award recognizes outstanding women who have made a significant, positive impact on their community. This award celebrates women whose leadership, dedication and generosity make a meaningful difference in the lives of others and reflect the spirit of building a stronger, more connected Calgary.
United Way of Calgary and Area’s Women United movement created this award to inspire others to take a moment to stop, look around and say: we see you. We see what you’re doing. And it matters.
This year, seven women who know the power of community, leadership and service will take on that role as adjudicators: Karen Ramchuk, Dee Adekugbe, Sloan Pipella-Clark, Christine Randall, Linda Olsen, Cassia Prentice and Jennifer Wyness.
Nominations opened on October 11, the International Day of the Girl Child.
For them, judging the awards is about more than selecting recipients. It is an opportunity to recognize women who might otherwise keep doing the work without ever stopping to acknowledge the difference they are making.
“Women don’t say, ‘I’m great.’”
For Karen Ramchuk, President and CEO of the Women in Need Society (WINS), the Woman of Impact Award struck a familiar chord from the moment she was asked to be a judge.
“I work with women all day, every day. I see powerful women all the time,” she says. “How do you choose when there’s so many great women out there doing incredible work?”
Ramchuk sees firsthand some of the systemic challenges women continue to face, from caregiving responsibilities to gender equity in the workplace.
She also sees something else: how rarely women look for praise for their own accomplishments.
“Women don’t take credit for their own strengths, their own greatness,” Ramchuk says.
When she begins reviewing nominations, she says she’ll be focusing on three things: impact, integrity and caring.
“I’m going to look to people who have been true to themselves, women that have led for other women, women that have that voice and are willing to stand up and move the needle for other women.”
Passing the baton
For Dee Adekugbe, Executive Director of Ruth’s House Society and the first Woman of Impact Award recipient, becoming a judge feels like a continuation of something she experienced herself.
“I am thinking, wow, I won this thing — and now I get the opportunity to recognize other people,” she says. “It’s like passing the baton and saying, ‘We see you and we appreciate you.’”
Being recognized made her bolder and more determined. She says it gave her a boost to keep striving, knowing that people appreciated the work she was doing.
Now, she hopes to give another woman that same feeling.
“I’m looking for someone exceptional, people who are doing unique things that society doesn’t recognize,” she says. “I am looking for the subtle things people don’t tend to shed light on.”
That idea of seeing what often goes unseen runs through the entire judging panel.
Adekugbe also has a message for women who are waiting for someone else to acknowledge their contribution.
“Don’t wait until someone nominates you. Recognize yourself.”
Making space for women to be seen
Sloan Pipella-Clark is a powerful advocate for community engagement and volunteerism. Her impact includes her work as a nurse, with a special focus on supporting patients with eating disorders.
She sees this as an opportunity to bring her own perspective to the table and give back in a different way.
For her, the women who stand out will be those who bring passion and dedication to their work, give their time and energy to others and have a genuine desire to make a difference in their community.
She believes recognition is important for women.
“I feel honoured to be on the adjudication panel, to help elevate and recognize women in leadership who are making a positive impact in our community,” she says
For Christine Randall, Director of Communications at Suncor and a mother of three daughters, that belief is personal.
She knows through her own experience, and through the large network of women around her, just how much women contribute to their communities.
And she knows how often that contribution happens without anyone noticing.
“Women don’t always shout their accomplishments from the rooftops,” Randall says. “And it’s incumbent on us as women to take a step back and say, ‘You’re doing amazing things,’ and give them the space to truly be recognized.”
Recognition gives a woman prominence. It gives her work a platform. And it gives other people the opportunity to see what is possible.
“I would encourage everyone to do it for themselves and to showcase the work they should be proud of,” Randall says.
The quiet heavy lifting
For Linda Olsen, the stories behind the nominations are what make the award so powerful.
As a journalist and former news anchor, Olsen spent much of her career telling stories about people and communities. Now, as a Woman of Impact judge, she is once again looking for the stories that deserve to be told.
“I was honoured because I know there’s so many amazing stories of so many women truly impacting our social support system, and often they don’t get the recognition they deserve,” she says.
She believes women naturally want to celebrate one another, to lift each other up, learn from each other and be inspired.
But too often, the work happens quietly.
“We want to hold you up and share your story because other people will be inspired by it,” Olsen says.
“My heart pulls me to the people who don’t get recognized, who are doing heavy lifting and making a difference in their own corner of the world.”
Seeing the impact behind the work
For Ward 2 Calgary City Councillor, Jennifer Wyness, being asked to serve as a Woman of Impact adjudicator was both an honour and a humbling experience.
Jennifer understands how easy it can be for meaningful community work to become part of the everyday rhythm of life.
“I feel we are used to working and doing tasks and going home to our families, sometimes it feels thankless,” she says. “To have an award you can nominate yourself and not wait for someone to see the value you bring to your community is a nice part of this opportunity.”
For Jennifer, one quality will stand out as she reviews the nominations: perseverance through empathy.
“We are living in an extremely isolating world where instead of seeking to connect our community, we are dividing,” she says.
That makes connection matter more than ever.
“An applicant showcasing their pursuit of community would be something I would like to see,” she says.
And perhaps that gets to the heart of what these judges are looking for: not simply women who have achieved something, but women who are doing something that makes the people around them feel less alone.
For Cassia Prentice, the opportunity to help recognize women making a difference in Calgary was a natural fit.
As Manager of Government Relations and Community Engagement at Pembina Pipeline, Prentice has seen the power of community involvement firsthand. She was drawn to the opportunity to become a Woman of Impact adjudicator because of her own passion for supporting women and strengthening communities.
“When you lift up women, you lift up entire communities,” she says.
Prentice says she is also inspired by the way women often approach leadership.
“There is some humility about women when it comes to success,” she says. “We tend to be more collaborative rather than putting your success forward as an individual.”
When reviewing nominees, one quality stands out above the rest.
“I always look for authenticity around what the individual is doing and the sense of purpose and passion in their community work,” Prentice says.
We see you
There is a common thread connecting all seven judges.
They are looking beyond titles, visibility and conventional ideas of leadership. They are looking for women who care deeply, give generously of themselves and create change.
If you would like to nominate a woman in your life, or apply yourself, please visit calgaryunitedway.org/woman-of-impact/.